Gwalior: In a chilling case of cyber fraud, an 89-year-old retired Indian Air Force officer in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior was allegedly kept under “digital arrest” for 24 days and duped of ₹2.52 crore by fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials. An FIR has been registered and a detailed investigation is underway.
According to the complaint, the victim, Narayan Mahadev Tikekar, received a WhatsApp video call on January 28. The caller displayed what appeared to be a courtroom setting on screen, complete with individuals posing as a judge, lawyers and uniformed police personnel. The caller identified himself as Vijay Khanna and claimed to be an officer of the Mumbai unit of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Threatened in a Money Laundering Case
The fraudster alleged that a bank account had been opened in the victim’s name at Canara Bank, through which ₹20 lakh in suspicious funds had been routed. Linking it to a supposed money laundering investigation, the caller warned of serious legal consequences and claimed that the officer was under scrutiny.
The elderly victim was instructed not to disconnect the call or contact anyone, as he was allegedly under “digital surveillance.” The fraudsters conducted what they described as an “interrogation” over video call and sought detailed information about his assets, bank accounts, fixed deposits and mutual fund investments.
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₹2.52 Crore Transferred in Five Instalments
Under the pretext of a “verification process,” the fraudsters convinced the victim to transfer money in five separate instalments. Over the span of 24 days — from January 28 to February 20 — a total of ₹2,52,16,000 was transferred to bank accounts provided by the accused.
To maintain the illusion of legitimacy, the scammers shared forged documents and a fake No Objection Certificate (NOC), reinforcing the belief that the process was part of an official investigation.
The fraud came to light only after the retired officer visited his bank and showed the documents to the branch manager, who identified them as fake and advised him to immediately approach the police.
Similar Case Reported Earlier
This is not the first such incident in Gwalior. In March last year, the secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in the city was similarly duped of over ₹2.52 crore under the guise of a digital arrest. The recurrence of such cases has raised serious concerns about the targeting of senior citizens by cybercriminals.
Growing Threat of ‘Digital Arrest’ Scams
Cyber experts emphasize that “digital arrest” has no legal standing and is purely a fabricated tactic used by fraudsters to intimidate victims. By isolating individuals, creating a sense of urgency and maintaining prolonged video surveillance, scammers weaken the victim’s ability to think rationally.
Fraudsters typically impersonate officials from agencies such as the CBI, Enforcement Directorate or police departments. They use fake ID cards, fabricated case numbers and staged video backdrops to make the scenario appear authentic.
Advisory for Citizens
Authorities reiterate that no government agency conducts arrests or investigations via phone or video call, nor do they demand money transfers for verification. Citizens are advised to disconnect immediately if such a call is received and report the matter to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or file a complaint through the official cybercrime reporting portal.
Police officials stated that the money trail is being examined and possible inter-state or international links are also under investigation.
